Belmore upgrade on cards

THE Bulldogs are straining at the leash to return to Belmore, recently applying for a $20 million Federal Government grant to redevelop the once-mighty suburban venue.

CEO Todd Greenberg expects to know by the end of this month if Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has approved funding, which will transform Belmore from scrapheap to first-class training facility.

Although the money won't be enough for upgrades to accommodate NRL matches, $20 million would enable the construction of a three-level complex housing lap pools, administrative offices and a state-of-the-art gymnasium.

The money is being sought as part of the government's training and skills program, meaning the Bulldogs would share the ground with locals learning new trades such as greenkeeping.

Greenberg and chairman George Peponis have held several meetings with Canterbury council to garner grassroots support.

The entire club is fed up with the treatment at Sydney Olympic Park, with players and officials admitting they are sick of scheduling clashes that have forced late changes to training. Should the government get on board, Greenberg will set his sights on a second tranche of funding that would enable selected home games to be staged at Belmore once the club's exclusive deal with ANZ Stadium expires in 2015.